Power-transmission mechanism.



O. D. MOGLINTOGK. POWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-15.1912.

Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

(Zak/g, 4M flaw WITNESSES C. D. MOCLINTOGK.

POWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM.

APPLICATION TILED JAN.15,1912.

00 Y /1 l/ Z; all: 51.

WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES DAVID MCCLINTOCK, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OFFIFTY-EIGHT ONE-HUNDREDTHS T0 SAUL CORNFIELD, 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

POWEB-TRANSMISSION MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES DAVID MC- CLINTOCK, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPower-Transmission Mechanism, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of power-transmitting mechanism inwhich a controllable diflerence' in rotative speed is provided for; and,particularly, to that subclass in which a controllable fluid resistancedevice is interposed between a driving and a driven shaft.

My present invention concerns that type of speed-changingfluid-controlled devices in which a plurality of cylinders and theirpistons are disposed radially from the center line of the shafts in suchmanner thattheir housing or frame is made to serve the purpose of abalance wheel for the engine or motor; and it consists in thenovelconstructions, arrangements and combinations of parts which I shallhereinafter fully describe, and by which I am enabled to provide aneflicient speed changer, sufiiciently compact and strong and free fromliability to wear or breakage to adapt it for use on automobiles orother motor driven vehicles, and for other special appliances ormachines in which it is essential that power be transmitted graduallyand with certainty.

In the accompanying drawings to which reference is made-Figure 1 is abroken, sectional view of my device, on the line of the shafts. Fig. 2is a broken, sectional view of the front or driving side of the device,the driving shaft being omitted. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view ofa portion of my device showing indetail one of the pistons, one of thecams and the intervening connections. Fig. 4 is an enlarged View showingthe construction when the piston is made with a through passagecontrolled by the inlet valve. Fig. 5 is an enlarged View showing theconstruction of the inlet valve, when the piston is not provided with apassage and the valves are disposed as in Fig. 1.

1, in Fig. 1, is the driving shaft with its flange 1'; and 2 is thedriven shaft with its integral cams 3 and 4. These shafts areSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 15, 1912.

Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

Serial No. 671,205.

alined, but are connected only through the fluid resistance device tobedescribed.

Fixed to the driving shaft 1, in suitable manner, as, for example, toits flange 1 by the bolts 5, is the housing or frame 6 of the pumps,which, by its form and 'wei ht, Constitutes' the necessary balance wheeforthe motor or engine. In this housing or frame 6 are made cylinders orpiston chambers 7, in any suitable number; I have here indicated six.They are radiall disposed, and each is fitted with a cap 8. n eachcylinder is a piston 9, packed as usual at 10. This piston 9 may beformed, as is shown in Fig. 4, with a passage 9 through it from end toend, the outer end of this passage having an outwardly opening inletvalve 11 held to its seat by a spring 12. But when the inlet valve isdifferently disposed, as in Fig. 1, then the form of piston 9 is as isshown in Figs. 2 and 3, namely, a closed one and is provided with a cuplike retainer 13 for the packing 10, as is better shown in 3. In thehousing 6 is formed a central chamber or well 6' with which the pistonchembers communicate and into which the pistons extend. These pistonshave shoes 14, pivotally connected to them by means of the pin 15 whichis held in place by the spring six pumps shown in Fig. 2. These pumpsare so arranged that they alternate in their Order of placement. Aroundthe cams 3 and 4 are the anti-friction rollers 17. Between these rollersand the piston shoes 14 is a free bearing-ring18, which also serves as aretainer or cage for the rollers 17. This free bearing-ring 18 by reasonof the interposition of the rollers 17, is not caused to slide on orturn in the shoes 14 but performs its function by stopping or rollingfrom one. shoe to the other as the arts rotate. A pull ring 19 is fittedin a s 0t on the outer side of the piston shoes 14 and holdsthem incontact and alinement with the free bearing-ring 18. This pull ring 19also serves to positively draw each piston in turn toward the center ofthe machine, which action causes the ump chambers to fill with thefluid, to be afterward forced outthrough the controlling valve 23. I

20 is the inlet valve cage shown in Fig. 1,

relief 24 is its seat through which ports 24' are made communicativewith each pump chamher by means of the passage 25. This valve seat 2 1is a hardened and ground ring pressed into a recess in the housing orframe 6. Its inner face is beveled to fit the beveled face of thecontrolling valve 23, and it is by the pressure exerted by the pistonsthrough the fluid resistance on the bevel face of the controlling valve23 that said vali e is forced out automatically. The controlling valve23 which is necessarily a circular ring is made to fit on its outer faceto the inner face of the seat 24 and also to slide freely on the innerprojection of the hub of the housing 6. The valve stems 26, of whichthere are two directly opposite to each other,-

ass through the stufling box 27 .and fasten y means of suitableadjusting nuts to the guide ring or sleeve 28 which in turn actsagainstthe loading spring 29 when the foot edal 30 is depressed or when thepressure in the cylinders 7 and passages 25 forces the valve 23 open.The motion of the foot pedal 30 is'transmitted through the short lever31 to the thrust bearing 32 and thence to the guide ring or sleeve 28,as above stated.

33, in Fig. 1, is a light metal shield or guard. I I From the foregoingdescription of the machine, its operation should be clearly understood.I will, however, point out that the housing 6 is fastened to the drivingshaft and rotates with it as a balance wheel, while the inner workingparts are all attached flexibly to the driven shaft 2. The onlyconnection between these two composite members being the fluidresistance between them. It will be seen that if the controlling valve23 is closed, all parts of the machine will revolve as a unit and nopumping action will take place in the cylinders; there-- fore, themachine will deliver the power received by it from the engine at enginespeed and without loss. If the foot pedal is depressed so as to open thecontrolling valve, or the pressures cause it to open automatically'therewill take place a retarding action in the driven shaft which carries theload, which action will cause the pistons to reciprocate in theircylinders, forcing out the fluid and drawing it in alternately inproportion to the ratio of speeds of the two composite members of themachine. As before stated, this action may be caused to take place atthe will of the operator or will occur automatically at the proper timeand to slow down.

under the conditions requiring the vehicle It will benoted that owing tothe form in which my device is built no pressure is needed in thecentral space or Well 6 to force the fluid into the pump cylinders, thataction being very effectually accomplished by centrifugal force.Therefore, if the fluid should become heated by long continued action itwill find space in which to expand, since it is not necessary to fillthe machine entirely full with the working fluid, to insure its positiveaction. Oil appears to be the most satisfactory working fluid asit willfurnish perfect lubrication to all parts of the machine.

A feature of my invention to which I call particular attention is thebalanced controlling valve 23, which, with its loading spring 29constitutes an automatic speed regulator. This automatic act-ion takesplace when the torque on the driven shaft (due to the load imposed)causes a rise in pressure in the pump chambers'in excess of that forwhich the loading'spr'ing has been set. This means, in effect, that aconstant torque will be maintained at all times when the engine or motoris working at its full capacity. and the measure of this torque will bedetermined by the setting of the loading spring which will be soadjusted as to require the engine or motor to work at its full capacitybefore the automatic action takes place. Thus, if my invention isappliedv to an automobile, the load imposed on the engine or motor (whenclimbing a hill or encountering bad roads or heavy head winds) will belimited to the maximum allowable torque for which the loading spring hasbeen set, with the result that the car or vehicle will be caused to slowdown in its speed of travel, automatically and in the exact and correctratio to the amount of power delivered to it through the medium of mydevice. Means are also provided, by the foot pedal 30 by which the speedof the car or vehicle can be deliberately retarded or allowed to stopafltogether when such foot pedal is fully depressed, thereby freelypassing' the fluid through the controlling valve 23. By the same means,that is, when this foot pedal is released, the free discharge of thefluid is q of which I secure, not only the static and dynamic balance ofthe machine, but also a balance of the forces acting through the fluidresistance against the controlling valve, whereby it is caused to float,so to speak, between two opposite and equal forces at all times and inevery possible position which it may assume.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. In power-transmitting mechanism, incombination with a driving shaft and a driven shaft; a housing fixed toone of said shafts and provided with a central fluid space and aplurality of piston-chambers opening into saidspace and radiatingtherefrom with the axes of the shafts as a center; a piston in eachchamber; a passage leading'fron'i the outer end of each chamber backinto the central fluid space of the housing;'.a balanced valve forcontrolling the flow of the fluid from said passages into the centralspace, said valve being automatically operative under and in proportionto the pressure of the fluid in the passages; other valves for admittingthe fluid from the central space into the piston-chambers; and arotatively movable connection between the other shaft and the pistons toopcrate said pistons. V

2. In power-transmitting mechanism, in combination with a driving shaftand a drivenshaft; a housing fixed to one of said shafts and providedwith a central fluid space and a plurality of piston-chambers openinginto said space and radiating therefrom with the axes of the shafts as acenter; a piston in each chamber; a passage leading from the outer endof each chamber back into the central fluid space of the housing; abalanced valve for controlling the flow of the fluid from said passagesinto the central space, said valve being automatically operative underand in proportion to the pressure of the fluid in the passages; a springaffecting said valve and adapting it to beset to any desired load; othervalves for admitting the fluid from the central space into thepiston-chambers; and a rotatively movable connection between the othershaft and the pistons to operate said pistons.

In power-transmitting mechanism, in combination with .a driving shaftand a driven shaft; a housing fixed to one of said shafts and providedwith a central fluid space and a plurality of piston-chambers openinginto said space and radiating therefrom with the axes of the shafts as acenter; a piston in each chamber; a passage leading from the outer endof each chamber, an annular beveled walled valve seat having ports withwhich said passages comn'iunicate, said valve seat opening into thecentral space of the housing; an annular valve having a beveled surfacemounted in the beveled valve seat and slidable axially therein, saidvalve being automatically operative under and in proportion to theressure of the fluid upon its beveled sur ace; other valves foradmitting the fluid. from the central space into the piston-chambers;and a rotatively movable connection between the other shaft and thepistons to operate said pistons.

ii". In 1.)o\ver-transmitting mechanism, in combination with a drivingshaft and a driven shaft; a housing fixed to one of said shafts andprovided with a central fluid space and a plurality of piston-chambersopening into said space and radiating therefrom with the axes of theshafts as a center; a piston in each chamber; a passage leading from theouter end of each chamher, an annular beveled walled valve seat hz-ivingports with'wlnch said passages communicate, said valve seat opening intothe central space of the housing; an annular va lvc having a beveledsurface mounted in the beveled valve seat and slidable axially therein,said valve being automatically operative under and in proportion to thepressure of the lluid upon its beveled surface; a spring afl'ecting saidvalve and adapting it to be Set to any desired load; other valves foradmitting the fluid from the central space into the piston-chambers; anda rotativel movable connection between the other shad and the pistons tooperate said pistons.

5. In power-transmitt-ing mechanism, in

combination with a driving shaft and a drivenshaft; a housing fixed toone of'said shafts and provided with a central fluid space and aplurality of piston-chambers opening into said space and radiatingtherefrom with the axes of the shafts as a center; a piston in eachchamber; a passage leading from the outer end of each piston chamberback into the central fluid space of the housing; a valve forcontrolling the passage of the fluid through said passages; other :alvesfor admitting the fluid from the central space into the piston chambers;and a rotatively movable connection between the other shaft and thepistons whereby said pistons are operated, consisting of a cam on saidother shaft, by which the pistons -are forced outwardly and a pull ringby valves for admitting the fluid from'the central space into thepiston-chambers; and a rotatively movable connection between the thepistons outwardly, and means for drawing the pistonsinwardly.

7. In power-transmitting mechanism, in combination with a driving shaftand a driven shaft; a housing'fixed to one of said shafts and providedwith a central fluid space and a plurality of piston-chambers openinginto said space and radiating therefrom with the axes of the shafts as acenter; a piston in each chamber; a passage leading from the outer endof each piston chamber back into the central fluid space of the hcusing;a valve for controlling the passage of the fluid through said passages;other valves for admitting the fluid from the central space into thepiston-chambers; and a rot-atively movable connection between the othershaft and the pistons whereby said pistons are operated, consisting of acam onsaid other shaft, a free bearing ring encirtiling the cam withinterposed anti-friction bearings, shoes pivoted to the innerends of thepistons and impingingon the freebearing-ring whereby the pistons areforced outwardly, and means for drawing the pistons inwardly.

8. In power-transmitting mechanism, in combination with a driving shaftand a driven shaft; a housing fixed to one of said shafts and providedwith a central fluid space and a plurality of piston-chambers openinginto said space and radiating therefrom with the axes of the shafts as acenter; a piston in each chamber; a passage leading from the outer endof each piston-chamber back into the central fluid space of the housing;a valve for controlling the passage of the fluid through said passages;other valves I for admitting the fluid from the central space into thepiston-chambers; and a retatively movable connection between the othershaft. and the pistons whereby said. pistons are operated, consisting ofa cam on said other shaft, a free bearing-ring encirclingthe cam withinterposed anti-friction bearings, said bearing-ring-acting to force thepistons outwardly and a free pull ring to draw the pistonsinwardly.

v 9. In power-transmitting mechanism, in

opening into said space and radiating therefrom with the axes of theshafts as a center; a piston in each chamber; a passage leading fromtheouter end of each piston-chamber back into the central fluid space ofthe housing; a valve for controlling the passage of the fluid throughsaid passages; other valves for admitting the fluid from the centralspace into the piston-chambers; and a. rotatively movable connectionbetween the pistons are operated, consisting of a cam on said othershaft, a free bearing-ring encircling the cam with interposedanti-friction bearings, shoes connected to the inner ends of the pistonsby pivot pins, said sho'esimpinging on the free bearing ring, wherebythe pistons are forced outwardly, and a free pull ring acting on theshoesto draw the pistons inwardly.

10. In power-transmitting mechanism, in combination with a driving shaftand a driven shaft; a housing fixed to one of said shafts and providedwith a central fluid space and a plurality of piston-chambers openinginto said space and radiating therefrom with the axes of the shafts as acenter, said piston-chambers being alternately disposed in two annularparallel series; a piston in each chamber; a passage leading from theouter end of each piston chamber back into the central fluid space ofthe housing; a valve for controlling the passage of the fluid throughsaid passages; other valves for admitting the fluid from the centralspace into the piston-chambers; and a rotativelv movable connectionbetween the other shaft and the pistons whereby said pistons areoperated, consisting of a pair of oppositely,

disposed cams on the other shaft, one cam for the pistons of eachpiston-chamber series; means interposed between the cams and the pistonsfor forcing the pistons outward, and other means for drawing the pistonsinwardly.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES DAVID MOCLINTOCK.

Witnesses:

WM. F. Boom, D. B. RICHARDS.

other shaft and the pistons whereby said

